Welcome!

The Monarch Larva Monitoring Project (MLMP) is a citizen science
project involving volunteers from across the United States and Canada in monarch
research. It was developed by researchers at the University of Minnesota to collect
long-term data on larval monarch populations and milkweed habitat. The overarching
goal of the project is to better understand how and why monarch populations vary
in time and space, with a focus on monarch distribution and abundance
during the breeding season in North America.

As an
MLMP
volunteer, your contributions will aid in conserving monarchs and their threatened
migratory phenomenon, and advance our understanding of butterfly ecology in general.

News and Updates

Over 900 MLMP Monitoring Sites in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico

Latest Gallery Photos

Why Participate?

"Monarch on Zinnia"
by
Carrie Benham

Does your heart soar and fill with wonder when a monarch flutters by? Are
you concerned about the monarch population or wild species in general?

The Monarch Larva Monitoring Project (MLMP) is an exciting way
for monarch and nature enthusiasts to contribute basic knowledge about monarch population
dynamics, and foster monarch and habitat conservation. Help from citizens across
the country gives scientists a far bigger picture of the health of the monarch population.
Your involvement is the key!

MLMP
volunteers are always learning. During Nature Center
training sessions, volunteers learn about monarch biology, practice monitoring
and data entry protocols, and receive all of the materials necessary to conduct
monitoring. Or, you can learn on your own with our online directions. Learning to
monitor is only the beginning; your observations and data collection activities
will invoke awareness of and curiosity about the local environment. Volunteers communicate
with monarch scientists with their questions and concerns through email. All data
are compiled by scientists and made available to volunteers. So, you’ll
see your direct contribution to increased understanding of the monarch population.

Monitoring can be done alone or with others. The
MLMP
is a terrific way to introduce young adults to field science and the love of nature.
Monitoring is also a passion to share with a friend or relative.